Durban - In 1930, the architectural practice of Ing and Jackson designed the Hill Crest Hotel on Main Road, Hillcrest, for David Domenic Fregona, writes contributor Mark Norman, who also supplied the pictures for this week's feature on old and new Durban.
The architects also designed the Lion Match factory and
the original Natal Technical College. They were well versed in the Spanish Colonial style, elements of which were incorporated into the hotel.
Back in the day, Hill Crest Hotel was proclaimed a “recommended health resort by leading doctors” and was said to be only a 30-minute drive from Durban.
When the inevitable march of the developers reached Hillcrest in the early 1980s, a well-fought local campaign saved the building and it was enveloped by what is now the Colony Centre.
The Independent on Saturday appeals to readers who have old pictures of Durban and other parts of the province to send them to us for consideration.
If any readers are featured in the old picture, we will do our best to recreate the scene with them in it again.
Readers sending pictures digitally - images should be about 1MB - can address them, with the relevant information, to satmail@inl.co.za
If the pictures are in hard copy format, they can be posted to The Editor, Old Pictures,
The Independent on Saturday, PO Box 47549, Greyville, 4023.